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This Just In: I Enjoyed Loscon

Sometimes it takes reading a good conreport to convince a fan that he had a terrific time at the con after all. Chris Garcia’s Loscon report in SF/SF 78 has done that for me. Thank goodness I held my opinion til Chris worked his magic on this experience of ours:

I walked over to my second panel of the day, What Makes a Good Fanzine, and there were two total audience members: Robert Kennedy and another fellow whose name I forget. It was very much like the Fanzine panel we’d had earlier, and we had the exact same panel again: me, Hertz, Glyer and Milt. It’s something that got to me again. I’ve been to well-attended Fanzine panels, but none of the ones at LocCon got much attention. It happens.

The participants enjoyed themselves, which justifies running the program item, right? Just like that Roman chef who toned down the bill of fare one night when there were no guests and was criticized, “Don’t you realize? Tonight, Lucullus dines alone!”

LosCon fanzine panels always draw an audience of two. When they used to be scheduled on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., Marty Cantor and I would blame the timeslot, when everyone was still asleep after a night of partying. The explanation when the panel is placed in prime time on Saturday afternoon, as it was this year, is well, ah… I’ll have to get back to you about that.

The SF/SF staff has loaded the rest of issue 78 with equally compelling reading, not the least of it this note about SMOFcon:

Kevin [Standlee] reviewed SMOFcon in Columbus, Ohio as having about 100 attendees and a lack of new programming and that next year’s SMOFcon will be in Austin, TX.

2 thoughts on “This Just In: I Enjoyed Loscon”

Anybody who goes to a con for all-new programming deserves to be disappointed. Really, now. All topics have been used over and over. For instance, at a media con, just change “Star Trek” to “Star Wars” to “Buffy” to “Stargate” to “Sanctuary”, and mix up the panelists. Voila! Instant new programming. I would assume that SMoFcon, with such a narrow focus and so little turnover in attendees, would be especially susceptible to repetition. My suggestion: take a year off from a con, and you’ll be surprised how new and fresh the programming is when you return.

You read SF/SF? I had no idea. I have to remember to give you the Ribbon when next we cross paths!

As far as expecting new programming every year, I don’t. I just hope for some different angle or even different people that can make it seem new. A great example is the BayCon 5 DOllars, a Dead Fish and a Time Machine. Every year they do it, every year there’s some change in personel and every year it’s wonderful.
Chris